'Stigma' Fails to Lift 'Enterprise'

Heightened media attention for Wednesday night's 'Stigma' failed to to make any impact on Enterprise's ratings. The first Februrary sweeps episode of 2003 scored joint second-lowest overnight ratings since the series debuted.

The episode averaged a 4.2/6 rating, according to figures published at Mediaweek. This means approximately 4.2% of American households with television sets were tuned into Enterprise, while the episode was viewed by 6% of households watching television at the time. These figures come from overnight ratings based on the top markets, and final ratings will be available next week.

These figures show that the episode's ratings are unchanged from 'Dawn', the last new episode that aired two weeks ago. However as it is Februrary sweeps, the crucial time for networks as their ratings determine how much they can charge for advertising, the result is not encouraging.

Enterprise came fifth in the 8pm timeslot, managing to beat the WB's Dawson's Creek which managed a 3.5/5. Fox won the hour with That '70s Show on 8.6/13 and American Idol with 13.5/19, followed by CBS's The Price is Right Million Dollar Spectacular which scored 8.5/12, fand ABC's My Wife and Kids on 8.4/12.

Marc Berman at Mediaweek again named Twilight Zone as the loser of the evening. It ranked 24% lower than the WB's Angel, which itself is struggling in its fourth season.

UPN still came joint fifth in the evening overall, drawing a 3.4/5 rating along with the WB. This is slightly up for UPN from when 'Dawn' aired and UPN gained a 3.3/5 rating, and it puts the network back up to the level of 'The Catwalk'. NBC won the night with 11.3/16, followed by Fox with 9.3/13, ABC with 9.2/13 and CBS with 8.0/12.